Envelope-fastener-applying mechanism



Feb. 4, 1930. IA. OLGAY 1,745,581

ENVELOPE FASTENER APPLYING MECHANISM Original Filed March 5, 1923 izzaenzzr Original application filed March 5, 1923,

ALBERT OLGAY, F, GLEN ELLYN,

Patented Feb] 4, 1930 pi ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GAW-OHARA VELOPE 00.,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ENVELOPE-FASTENER-APPLYING MECHANISM ."Thisinvention relates to mechanism for applying envelope fasteners to envelope .bodies and the present'applicationis a division of my pending application, Serial No.

- 622,843, filed March .5, 1923.

i Heretofore as far as I amaware'envelope fasteners, comprlslng tubular central portions or bodies adaptedto be riveted to the envelope andprovided with oppositely projectlng Wings or extensions capable of being bent into parallel relation for insertion through the opening in the envelope flap and then straightened out to hold the flap in closed position, have been formed singly and handor otherwise.

fed to the applying machine one at a time by My present invention contemplates a machine for operating upon a strip of fasteners Q of the general character indicated, which,

however, instead of being formed individuv- "ally are integrally united in a continuous strip. The primary purpose of my present I .Another ob ect of the invention 1s to proinvention is the provision of a machine which will feed such a strip of fasteners into position to be successively severed from the strip and applied to the envelope by improved mechanism so that thefasteners can be applied much more rapidly than the individuallyformed fasteners heretofore em ployed..

vide a machine which will, accurately handle, position andalign the fasteners relatively, to the-applying mechanism'so that the fasteners maybe rapidly andaecurately applied with: 'outliability of failure or inaccuracy in the operation of the machine.

; Another purpose ofthe invention is to provide a machine which is capable of adj justment so that it may be quickly changed tooperate uponenvelopes of various sizes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should be readily appreciated as the r same becomes'better understood by reference p in connection with. the accompanymgdrawto the followingdescription when considered ings;

- Referring tothe drawings JFigil is a plan v1ew offthe machineemvbodying my invention a v drive shaft 7 adapted to be driven-through a against rctation Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the strip feeding wheel and the fastener applying mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a strip of fasteners which my machine is adapted to handle; 7 I

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the fasteners positioning and aligning device; and

Fig. 5 is a face viewof the anvil.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, reference character 5 indicates generally the bed of the machine supported upon suitable legs or standards. In bearings 6 carried by the bed there is journaled a main one-revolutionclutch 8 from a drive pulley 9. This clutch iscontrolled by a foot pedal (not shown) connected with the clutch by a rod 11, and in order to insure stopping of the shaft when the clutch is thrown out, a drag brake 12 oflers continuous resistance to the rotationof the shaft.

The present machine is designed to not only apply fasteners to the envelopes but also to form and apply gummed reinforcing patches. The patch applying mechanism, however, forms no part of the present applicationand since it is fully disclosed in my prior application above referred to, an illustration and description of said mechanism is not embodied in this application.

The fastener applying mechanism includes a stationary anvil 13 mounted upon an adjustable support and spaced a limited distance from a guiding horn 14, leaving a slot 15 into which an envelope may be inserted so that its flap is disposed in position for the applicationthereto of the patches and with the anvil projecting into the envelope to the rear face of which a fasteneris applied aswillxbe later explained.

' The metal fasteners are formed in a continuous strip indicated by reference charac-- ter 16,,each fastener comprlslng a tubular body portion from which pro ect oppositely 95 parent from F10. '1 and frictionally he d y a suitable spring or other friction means. From this spool the strip is fed around a toothed wheel 19 provided with radially extending teeth 21 adapted to engage in the central apertures of the fasteners so that-upon rotationot this wheelthe strip is withdrawn and unwound fromthe spool. Guard late 22, in proximity to the periphery of tie wheel, maintains the strip in engageinent with the wheel teeth. The feed wheel is intermittently actuated'to feed the fastener strip by a step-by-stepmotion.by means of a feed pawl 23 mountedupon a lever .2 4;.fulcrumeduponthe axis of the feed wheel, said pawl being engageable iniratchet teeth 25 formed upon the upper face of the feed wheel; Suitable frictio'n n1eansisfempleyed to prevent :I'BVEIISG rotation-of the wheel. Lever 24 is oscillated ,to actuate the f'eejdwheel by the means ofa longitudinally adjustable push I'QdyQfi pivotallyconnected at its outer end to the lever 24;;and adjustably conneetedj by means of1a;set s crew ;27- witli a fulcrumed member straddling :the main shaft 15,;jand equipped-with a cam follower 2 9- ada-pted toibe;actuatedbya cam 31 on the shaft 1-5. A tens'ion spring 32 holds the follower 29:in.engagementiwithithe cam.

The {face of {the 'anvillS is longitudinally grooved as shown to ;.accommodate an anvil plate 33; whichisequippedkwitha riveting die 34and a. stripper s rin sa The, anvil plate is adjustably securtl-tio'the anvil'bygscrews' 3 6'and the anvil isgprovided witha series of countersunk .apertures 87 adapt-ed to receive these screws @so (that the anvil plate .mayibe adjustedlongitudinally;ofitheanvil to properly position it for various sizes ofenvelopes.

jEhe gst-rip of fasteners, {as it leaves the feed wheelis guidedzhy azpivotallymounted: guide member :38; yieldingly held in positioniby a spring 3950 thatathe;endmost fastener/0f the stripi-s guided into alignment withfthe apply ing punch. This punch, as will be;apparent fronifF-i-g. 2; comprises az'riveting portion :41, tired ;in and projecting ,beyoncltheqend of a reciprocatory .ipunch holder 42. amt-a pin J43 yieldingly projected ibeyond the end lot the punch; by :an expansion spring :44,- so; that-this pin will venter the aperture of the aligned fastener. ."As the ipu-rrch moves toward. :the

anvil the ;fiat edge or xcorner 45 thereof :will

- cooperate withga fired-shearing member 46 to shear Fthe endmost w fasten'er 'ifTOhl :the strip which (fastener, f-beingiimp'aled (on the pin 43 can ibe fcarried g-toward :the anvil and forced through the envelope .body .and against the riveting die by which the fastener will be securely riveted ttoth-e envelope.

lniorder to. assist in aligning' and'pro'p'erly positioning the endmost tasteneriwith' respect to the applying punch, a kl-shaped aligning device 47 is. carried uponuaislidezbar 48=wl1ich isSlida-bly mounted by :means. of slots :49 and screws ioliupon the bearings ;:52 and 53, :in" .i which -the;punch;holder 42 reciprocates. The.

the bartoward the anvilfas far/as permitted by the pin 55. The punch holder is normally held ,in .1161

tractedpposition by an expansion spring 58 surrounding the holder and interposed betweenthe-bearing52 and a pin59 carried by tracted position shown in Fig. 2 so that the endinost zfa'stener .willibe fed into abutting relationavit-h the aligning device-"4L7, as shown in Fig.1 :4, and positioned llII alignment LWlt-h the punch to r'eceivethe .pin;4c8 when;the

The punch iszintermitt-entlyzmovedtoward '7 punch is moved toward the: anvil.

the anvil .in predetermined timed :relation witlrthe feeding mechanism by-. an armz61 "the punch holder. During the feeding move- ,ment of' the fastener stripjthepunch. and the V aligning-member 47 are both held in the remountedzupona rock shaft 62,.and:equipped with an adjustable .abutmentx screw i63 threaded through. the armiand; engagingihe outer. endiof'the punch;holder '59. An arm 64 projecting upwardly from the rock shaft :is provided withza camcfollower disposed in the path of. a. cam 65 fixed on the-shaft 7 .so that upon each oscillation of the shaft 162.4116 punch willibe projectedtowardthe anviLto impale a :fastener. on the pin 43-,xsever the fastener froinrtlue strip,; and; apply .it to the en vel'ope. I i

r The saligning device .47, i'asxwill be appare'nt zfrom'illig. 2, .isln'ormally s'p'aced away from the; envelope. and when: the punch ihol'd e-r is retracted,asshownyis heldin this rposition byithepin 55. "Wh'en the:punch moves towardtheranvil, however, 'c arrying with it i the fastener, the. aligningdevice will simila-rlyim'ove under the influence of the-spring 56, :thereby 'serving to .maintain the severed fastener with its wings in proper vertical alignment until it is applied tothei envelope. When. the aligning device becomes engaged with the envelope. so that "further zmovement 1 thereof .is prevente'd, ithe pin t55 will then slide in the "slot 54 during the remainder of the. punchim'ovement, and: upon return movement of the punch, the .aligni-ng 1 device will be withdrawn .by engagenient .with the .pin 7 55 at;the end of the sl'o't54c.

inthesoperation o f myzinventionythe clutch 16 being normally disengaged, an envelope is -.-slipped iintot aposition iover athe :anv'il 13, whereupon ithe afoot treadl-e is z depressed :to engage theJclutc'h. The shaft :7 .athereup'on m ahes tone ;revolution and etlrron'gh the mechanismt described, iteedsvthe ttastener strip. :the

width of one fastener into alignment with the applying punch-whereupon .:reciproc.a- 1 tony movement zof'the 'punchicauses the 'iiastener to be severed from ftheustripandraperation is performed and the parts are restored to normal position during one revo- --lut1on of the shaft 7, whereupon'the clutch 8 automatically -throws out, the operator removes the envelope, replaces it by another,

and depresses the treadle whereupon the operation is repeated$-- The structural details illustrated and described may be varied within considerable limits without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as defined in the following claims.

'forfeeding a strip of preformed fasteners each having a tubular portion to said punch, said feed wheel having projections adapted to'impale each fastener through its tubular portion, means for imparting an intermittent movement to said wheel, means for positioningthe end-most fastener in alignment with said punch, and means for automatically operating said punch in predetermined, timed relation to said strip feed.

' 2. In a'machine of the character described, the combination ofa stationary anvil, a reciprocatory'fastenerapplying punch, a feed wheel provided with peripheral projections engageable in the'apertures of a strip of apertured fasteners for feeding said strip across the path of movement of said punch, an aligning device normally disposed in the path of movement of said strip, and means for movingsaid device toward and from the anvil in timed relation with said punch.

3. In a machine of the character described,

' the combination of an anvil, a feed wheel provided with projections adapted to engage in the aperturesvof a strip of apertured fasteners, means for actuating said wheel for advancing the end most fastener into'position for application, a stationary cutting member,'means cooperating with said member and with'said anvil for severing a fastener from said strip and riveting the same into an envelope, -means movable with the severed fastener toward its point of application for guiding the same thereto, and means for automatically operating sald feed wheel actuating means, said cooperating means and tener, sever the same from the strip and apply the same to an envelope, and means for moving said device with the punch for holding the fastener in alignment while it is severed and applied.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary anvil adapted to receive an envelope, a reciprocatory punch cooperatin therewith, a wheel for feeding a strip of asteners across the path of saidpunch, an aligning device by which the endmost fastener of said strip is aligned with the punch, and means for actuating said punch to sever said endmost fastener from the strip and apply the same to the envelope, said aligning device being movable toward and from said anvil with said punch.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination ofa stationary anvil, a reciprocatory punch, an aligning device yieldably connected with said punch, and a feed wheel adapted to feed a strip of apertured fasteners against said aligning device whereby the endmost fastener is aligned with said punch.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stationary anvil, a reciprocatory fastener applying punch, a feed wheel provided with peripheral projections engageable in the apertures of a strip of apertured fasteners for'feeding said strip across the path of movement of said punch, an aligning device normally disposed in the path of movement of said strip, and means for movingsaid device toward and from the anvil in timed relation with said punch.

ALBERT OLGAY.

said movable means in predetermined, timed relation to one another.

4. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of an anvil, a reciprocatory punch cooperativetherewith and adapted to impale a fastener having an aperture, means forfvfeeding a strip of, apertured fasteners into alignment withsaidvpunch, an aligning device against which the end-most fastener 'is' fed, means for actuating said punch to v cause the same to impale said endmost fas-" 

